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<title>A Cup of Earl Grey for Your Troubles, Darling by EmmaLostInWonderland</title>
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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26709391">A Cup of Earl Grey for Your Troubles, Darling</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/EmmaLostInWonderland/pseuds/EmmaLostInWonderland'>EmmaLostInWonderland</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Angst, M/M, Mission Fic, Not Captain America: The Winter Soldier Compliant, Spooning</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-09-29</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-09-29</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 06:48:11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>673</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26709391</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/EmmaLostInWonderland/pseuds/EmmaLostInWonderland</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Steve and Sam are on the hunt for Bucky after he disappears from the wreckage at the Potomac. After a Hydra raid gone wrong, the two men are forced to lay low in a safe house until S.H.I.E.L.D. can send agents to extract them. Steve is not in such a great headspace.</p><p>Just a little vignette originally written for I think Steve's birthday this summer? I held on to it to make it longer and never did, so here it is in its original short version!</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Steve Rogers/Sam Wilson</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>12</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>A Cup of Earl Grey for Your Troubles, Darling</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Steve, have you even slept?” Sam sets a mug of plain tea in front of Steve and takes the seat next to him. The look on his face tells Steve that Sam already knows he hasn’t, but he shrugs anyway. “Don’t wanna miss anything.” He gestures to the mug and adds a soft, “thanks.”<br/>“You won’t miss anything. We’ll find your boy.”<br/>“I wish you’d stop calling him that,” Steve snaps. “He’s not my boy, and you know it. We were friends, that’s all.”<br/>Sam looks like he has plenty to say but has no intention of actually saying any of it. “You’re right, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean anything by it, but that’s not the point.”<br/>“I didn’t ask you to come with me so that you could stand by while I fall in love with Bucky all over again. Things are different now. I asked you to come because I want you by my side.”<br/>“I know, Steve. I’m not holding your past over your head. It was a poorly timed joke.”<br/>Steve grimaces and sighs a little. “Yeah, I know. I’m sorry.”<br/>Sam just lays a hand on his shoulder. “Look... I know you hate being cooped up in here, but we don’t really have a choice. Missions go south sometimes, and we just have to wait to get pulled out. They said it could be a few days, and even a miracle of science like you needs rest.”<br/>Steve stares into the tea like it has answers for him. It smells gentle, the bergamot standing out and providing a soothing feeling by scent alone. He picks it up to take a sip, noting that it’s a little weak. Sam must be really worried... or maybe he prefers it weak. Steve looks up at him. He wonders what other little nuances he’s missed while he’s been caught up in his own selfishness. “I feel like all my cells are vibrating. I’m so on edge. Sleep doesn’t really seem possible.”<br/>Sam offers a small smile. “Yeah, I get that. But they say even just closing your eyes for 20 minutes does some good whether you sleep or not.”<br/>“Sounds like some of the bullshit those quack doctors fed me during the Depression.”<br/>Sam laughs. “Maybe so, old man. Whaddya say we give it a try anyway.”<br/>It’s clearly not a question. Steve drinks half the tea and abandons the rest in favor of taking Sam’s offered hand. His brain automatically calculates the exact shape and location and texture of the gun callouses, but he pushes those thoughts aside. He may be running on excess adrenaline, but he refuses to analyse Sam like a potential enemy. Maybe the other Avengers, but never Sam.<br/>Steve allows himself to be led to the bedroom, taking over only once his boyfriend has gently pushed him into a sitting position on the lumpy mattress. He takes off his own shoes and shirt and lies down on top of the quilt. Sam sits beside him and combs his fingers gently through Steve’s hair. “Want me to stay?” He murmurs.<br/>Steve blinks and realizes just how tense he had been. It’s flooding away now, drawing tears up to his eyes and leaving them burning. He nods, afraid of how he might answer if he speaks.<br/>The bed creaks when Sam tucks himself behind Steve’s body, spooning him, making him feel small again. Steve closes his eyes to relish the feeling of Sam’s gentle kisses along his shoulder and neck. “I’m sorry,” he whispers, and it’s not what he means to say at all. <br/>“I know. It’s alright, it ain’t always like this. Just let me take care of you right now. Okay?”<br/>Steve nods and allows himself to relax. If Sam wants him to sleep, he’s gonna sleep. Maybe when he wakes up, it’ll be his turn to play caretaker. Sam deserves this level of intimacy from him too. He drifts off, finally, dreaming up ways to make Sam smile in that way that actually reaches his eyes.</p>
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